Enfield Teacher Of The Year Brendan Walsh

Enfield Schools' Teacher of the Year Brendan Walshthinks learning is serious business. The former Wall Street analyst reconsidered his career choices after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks hit close to home.

"I started thinking big picture, where I needed to go in life and what I needed to do," said Walsh, who teaches business at Enrico Fermi High School. He credited the unwavering support of his wife, Andrea Walsh, for his decision to pursue a teaching degree.

Over the next two years, the Walshes cut back on spending while he took evening classes at Central Connecticut State University while continuing to work full-time.

"I teach personal finance, and I always tell my kids, 'Manage your money, don't let your money manage you.' Luckily I practice that adage in my own life, and having control of my finances allowed me to make a decision that some people may never make," he said.

In 2006, at 35, Walsh officially quit his job in the private sector and began student teaching at Rockville High School under the direction of Charles Martucci, a computer and business teacher. Walsh joined the business department at Enrico Fermi in 2007.

A fan of continuing education, Walsh also earned master's degrees in educational technology and secondary administration.

Walsh teaches business electives like accounting, marketing, "Business Concepts," and a popular personal finance course.

"The courses lend themselves to connections with the real world, which kids respond to. In personal finance, there's nothing in the curriculum that they won't use in the real world. You can't say that about a lot of classes," said Walsh.

This year, Walsh spearheaded an effort to bring kindness and compassion to the hallways of Fermi. Rachel's Challenge, started by the parents of Rachel Scott, the first student to be killed in the shootings at Columbine High School in Colorado in 1999, is a national campaign designed to encourage random acts of kindness and reduce bullying.

Through a partnership with Fermi Vice Principal John Coccia, Walsh started a FOR (Friends of Rachel) Club that sponsored activities every Friday. "They ranged from a high-five zone in the hallway, to playing music throughout the school, and a bad moustache contest among the teachers," Walsh explained, displaying a photo of his first-place moustache.

The FOR Club put on a town-wide "Day of Kindness" in December with a pancake breakfast and service initiatives around town. They wrapped up the school year with a "Kindness Carnival" where elementary students could earn tokens for random acts of kindness over the last few weeks of school, and redeem them at a number of carnival games manned by the high schoolers.

Walsh stressed his strong partnership with Coccia, who nominated him for the Teacher of the Year Award.

"He's allowed me to really swing for the fences with this sort of thing. He likes to work in the background and I like to be up front … between the two of us, everyone seems to have bought in to what we're trying to do here," Walsh said.

Three years ago, Walsh was one of 26 Enfield teachers to be laid off due to budget cuts. After a summer of active job searching, he received word he'd be able to come back. "It's really allowed me to look full circle," he said.

Walsh says he's grateful for the opportunity to help kids. "I want them to know, whether you're a ditch digger or a CEO, you're going to be the best one possible. Because that's what's worked for me."

The father of three stays busy outside the classroom by coaching his kids' soccer and baseball teams, training for triathlons, and running a mobile DJ business on the side.